Minnesota United FC has signed forward Ismaila Jome, who played high school soccer at Prairie Seeds Academy in Brooklyn Park and won the Minnesota Mr. Soccer award for Class A in 2012.

As a winger and defender, Jome played three seasons at California-Santa Barbara, where he earned all-Big West first team honors in 2014 and Big West Freshman of the Year in 2013. In 56 games, he had six goals and 15 assists.

“It’s amazing to be signed by my hometown club, obviously coming soon into the MLS, it’s a huge thing,” Jome said in a statement. “I think it’s the perfect time with me almost being done with school. It’s an honor and a pleasure to be playing for the club.”

Jome, who was born in Gambia and moved to Minnesota as a young boy, has trained with United in previous seasons. He joins defender Brent Kallman of Woodbury as local United players.

BRIEFLY

United FC is expected to have more than 400 season-ticket holders attend Saturday’s scrimmage against the University of Nebraska-Omaha at Parade Stadium in Minneapolis. … Damion Lowe, a defender trialist during the Portland preseason trip, appears to have signed a contract with the Loons. On Twitter on Friday evening, he posted “can’t wait to get started,” with a picture of him holding a United scarf. … United heads to Mexico on Monday for three matches over 10 days. They will open the spring season April 2 versus the Carolina RailHawks in Cary, N.C.

Andy Greder covers two varieties of football — Minnesota Gophers and Minnesota United, aka the club embarking into Major League Soccer this year. Since joining the Pioneer Press full time in November 2013, he’s also covered the Timberwolves as a beat and spot duty from the Vikings to high schools. He was a part-time breaking news reporter at the Pioneer Press from 2011-13, when he was also a freelance writer and organic farmer. He started at the Duluth News Tribune in 2006, covering sports, news and business until living abroad in 2010.

As you comment, please be respectful of other commenters and other viewpoints. Our goal with article comments is to provide a space for civil, informative and constructive conversations. We reserve the right to remove any comment we deem to be defamatory, rude, insulting to others, hateful, off-topic or reckless to the community. See our full terms of use here.

More in Minnesota United FC

No Minnesota United players were selected in the Major League Soccer expansion draft on Tuesday afternoon. The 2018 MLS expansion franchise, Los Angeles FC, picked five players from five other teams, sparing the Loons from losing midfielders Miguel Ibarra, Sam Nicholson, Johan Venegas, Collen Warner or others. Ibarra was the most-discussed Minnesota player available but his salary of $322,000, and...

Midfielders Miguel Ibarra, Sam Nicholson, Johan Venegas and Collen Warner were among 16 players left unprotected by Minnesota United on Sunday, making them eligible to be selected by 2018 expansion entry Los Angeles FC in Tuesday’s Major League Soccer expansion draft. LAFC can select a maximum of one player from any team’s unprotected list, with no compensation given to the...

The Heaths are reuniting with Minnesota United. The Loons have traded with Atlanta for midfielder Harrison Heath, the son of United coach Adrian Heath, a source confirmed Friday. In return, Minnesota gives Atlanta a fourth-round pick in the 2019 SuperDraft and Harrison will be considered a protected homegrown player, the source said. Harrison and Adrian were together in Orlando City,...

Elwin Fontaine opened the door to his small St. Paul apartment on Thursday morning and was greeted by Minnesota United midfielder Ethan Finlay delivering him hot and cold lunches from Meals on Wheels. “So many of us need it,” Fontaine said. “It’s not only food, it’s cheer.” An enthusiastic Finlay joined Loons mascot “PK” and Meals on Wheels reps in...

Minnesota United president Nick Rogers, who was instrumental in keeping pro soccer in Minnesota in 2012, is leaving the organization, United said Tuesday. Rogers was a key voice in current owner Bill McGuire’s decision to buy the Minnesota Stars, a lower-level club owned by the North American Soccer League. Since 2013, Rogers oversaw the club during its four subsequent seasons...

MADRID — If a rival soccer team were to pay Lionel Messi’s 700 million euro ($834 million) buyout clause, Barcelona could potentially buy nine of the 20 most expensive teams in the world. Or it would have enough to buy every player in Major League Soccer at the same time. It could even pay for 5 million Barcelona jerseys. The...